Affinity

Chapter 4

Brady was in awe, he'd never been to someone's house where they pray before eating. He had to clasp his hands together bow his head as they prayed. He didn't pay much attention to their prayer, he just simply took the time to check out his surroundings. He looked around and saw even more paintings and sculptures depicting Naga in here too; made him think of which room didn't have Naga plastered all over the walls. He huffed then wondered if Tharja allowed this, by Noire's little description of her she wasn't religious in any way so why would she tolerate this?

He shrugged the thought off, hoping to have an answer to match later on but by now as the prayer went on he now realizes that only Noire and her father were praying. He peered over at Tharja and saw the utter boredom in her eyes as she stared blankly in front of her. He wasn't sure if she was staring at anything in particular or just spacing out. Brady turned his gaze to his dinner plate which contained a spiced steak, a hunk of mashed potatoes, and a good spoonful of mixed vegetables. It was a basic meal he was use to, his mother often made the same thing but a bit less meat though.

"Now, we eat." Noire's father said.

"Finally." Noire's mother grumbled.

As Brady and Noire's family dug into their meal, he himself had to stop himself from completely shoving the food in his mouth like he did at home- he hated to have Noire think of him as a pig, well until he looked beside him. He witnessed Tharja shove three whole spoonfuls of potatoes in her mouth, guzzle down a glass of water, tear into her steak and cram her vegetables in her mouth before wiping her face clean.

"Serve me again." Tharja demanded in a monotoned voice.

Noire, barely finished her own food just nodded her head and got up. She went over to her mother, picking up her plate and starting re-serving her. She gave her double the portion then before and sat down. Brady refraned from looking at tharja for the remainder of the evening, she might tempt him into eating like a savage.

"So, your name is Brady correct?" Noire's father spoke.

Brady swallowed the portion in his mouth and nodded. "Yah, that's my name."

Noire's father offered a smile. "It's good to meet you, I am sorry we have not been properly introduced. I am Libra, my daughter Noire-" He gestured towards Noire who waved. "And this lovely woman is my wife, Tharja."

"Charmed." Tharja glared at him.

"Nice to meet ya all." he gave a nervous smiled.

"So, tell me Brady are you attending the same university as Noire?" Libra asked, placing his chin on his hands.

"Yeah, I'm studying nursing there, already got like weekend job as a Health care aide at the local old folks home." Brady answered.

"How nice, are you living alone?" Tharja leaned in as she asked.

"Um, no i'm staying at home with my parents." Brady raised an eyebrow at the question.

"You have a girlfriend?"

"No."

"Bad credit?"

"No."

"...No dieases i should no about?" she asked, narrowing her gaze at the purple haired boy.

"Um, what?"

"Dear maybe we shouldn't prod at the poor boy." Libra suggested.

"I'm sorry?" Brady couldn't understand what he was just asked at all.

"just making sure, never can be too careful with stray boys." Tharja glanced at Brady.

Brady flinched at the comment, wow he really needs to rethink his wardrobe if he's getting called a 'stray boy'. the comment did hurt but he tried to not let it show, just giving her a straight face, he can't let her read his face or else she might continue to attack him.

"Dear he's our guest, he deserves some respect." said Libra.

"Not from me, i didn't want him here nor did i want to serve him." Tharja stated coldly.

"Be reasonabl-"

"No."

"Oh please don't do tha-"

"No."

Brady tuned out as they had their little dispute. He wasn't going to get involved. he just sighed and sat back in his chair, he felt a hand on his shoulder and looked up. Noire looked down at him and put her finger to her lips. Uderstanding her gesture, he got up and followed Noire as they slipped past her feuding parents. He was quite surprised they didn't notice them slip by. Noire lead him up a flight of stairs, passing even more figurines of Naga as they came to a door.

"My parents won't come up here, it'll give us time to talk." Noire said as she opened the door.

The room's cream colored walls were adorned with posters of gothic type paintings that depicted dragons, sorcesses and death in many scenerios. Shelves that were placed on the right wall and the left were lined with stuffed animals with picture frames, books and some small colorful boxes. Papers, pencils, a laptop, a lamp and a photocopier all squish on one tiny desk. A bed with black and white blankets with colorful pillows and a princess-like head board completed this mix-matched room.

"Cute." Brady said.

"Clease don't comment on it." Noire sighed.

"Aw come on, it's cute that your room is like this. my sister couldn't decided on what type of room she wanted so she got this really silly mix-matched one." Brady laughed, recalling the memory of that horribly colorful room.

Noire smiled and giggled. She sat down on the bed and brady sitting on the chair beside the desk, things then went silent between them as they sat and awkwardly looking around the room and occasionally looking at eachother before turning away. Each not knowing what to say to eachother after that little conversation. Noire bit her lip as she sighed, taking the leap.

"You... you really don't remember me do you?" Noire said.

"I'm- what?" Brady asked, turning to her.

"It's just- how do you not recognize me? I know I've been gone awhile but I didn't think you'd forget me." Noire sounded sad as she spoke.

Brady furrowed his brow. "I have to admit that you do look familiar, I just can't place you anywhere."

Noire frowned. "Brady, when we were kids, we use to always get sick and always pass out sickness on to one another." She smiled weakly. "The nurse gave us such the talk when we came in almost every week with the sniffles or the fever."

Brady kept eye contact with her, recalling on that experience; the way she describd it rung in his head as he recalled that experience. That simple memory opened the flood gates, memories came pouring in, ones he forgot but now he remembers! then- it hit him.

"NOIRE!"

Brady jumped at her, throwing his arms around her tiny frame. She squeaked at his sudden hug, he pushed them both down on the bed in a tight embrace he kept.

"Oh my god, how could i have forgotten you! you were like my best friend, oh man all the times we built sand castles when we went to the beach- oh and the time we got in trouble at the library!" Memories of her made Brady smile big and wide at how much fun he had with her.

Noire smiled and wrapped her arms around him and started laughing, happy to know her childhood friend had finally remembered her. Her friend, her best friend Brady. They embraced, talked about their shared childhood until the bedroom door opened. Tharja and Libra stood in the doorway looking on this sight of a six foot giant hunched over and pinning their blonde haired child to her bed- such a sight always ensues misjudgement.

"...out."

And then we finally have the reveal- well not a big reveal for us of course but for Brady and Noire! friends reunited after years of separation. i added the parents walking in part as i do love that cliche.

enjoy.